Can't make it to Cookeville? Here's your guide

For those who will not be making the trip to Cookeville for the BlueCross Bowl state championship football games, there are still plenty of ways to keep up with what’s going on.

This is the biggest weekend of games in TSSAA football each year, but whether you can’t get off work, don’t feel like making the drive or have too much Christmas shopping to do (you still have three weeks, so that’s not really a good excuse), you can still be aware of the game in real time.

Dresden’s appearance in the Class 1A championship kicks off at 11 a.m. Liberty kicks off in the 3A championship at 3 p.m.

If you’re stuck at work or somewhere else and can’t really watch or listen to the game but have access to social media, following @JSEditorBrandon on Twitter is a good way to keep up with both games.

During the week each season, I’ve provided frequent updates when I’m in a press box and commentary of the environment surrounding the game. Followers can expect the same from both games involving rural West Tennessee teams in Cookeville.

For those who want to actually watch the game, EPLusTV6 will broadcast every championship game. Those broadcasts will also be streamed on their website at: eplustv6.com

The NFHS network is a streaming service that allows subscribers to not only watch state championship games from the state of Tennessee, but championship games from all over the country.

For those who may not be around a television or computer all day, there are radio options.

WBFG-FM 96.5, the sports talk station based in Lexington, will broadcast both games involving Liberty and Dresden.

WCMT-FM 101.3 in Martin will broadcast the Dresden game with the broadcast team of Paul Tinkle, John Hatler, and Gleason head coach Noah Lampkins will provide play-by-play for the Lions’ game against Greenback. WCMT broadcasts the top game in Weakley County each week, and this game is clearly the top competition for this week.

WNWS-FM 101.5 in Jackson will provide a broadcast for Liberty’s game with Alcoa with play-by-play duties taken care of by their team of Dan Reaves, Sea Bass and Richard Barber. The crew has been the radio team for University School of Jackson all year but has hopped on the Liberty train the past couple of weeks and will ride it all the way to Cookeville for the benefit of its listeners and Liberty fans.

You may not be in Cookeville for the games this weekend, but there’s no reason not to know what’s going on. Good luck to all teams playing and safe travels to all who are headed for Tennessee Tech.

Brandon Shields is the high school sports columnist for The Jackson Sun. Contact him at (731) 425-9751 or at bjshields@jacksonsun.com. Follow him on Twitter @JSEditorBrandon or on Instagram at jacksonsunsports.

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